The Science Camp
by anicez
Summary: Summer of 1996. Sixteen year old Sheldon will join for the first time a summer camp. Four long weeks of science and fun, where he ll discover the true meaning of friendship and love. / Shamy & Lenny AU /
1. Welcome to Colorado Springs

**Chapter 1.** **Welcome to Colorado Springs**

* * *

It was the summer of 1996, the intense heat of Texas fell onto his head, and there were still hours left before leaving the hottest state of the country. Sheldon sighed, leaning on the car while Mary gave the final instructions to Georgie, who will keep in charge of the house and Missy, for the next few days.

Sheldon had been waiting for this day for weeks, he had checked references and it was proof that it was the best science camp in the country. He was excited, although he had many reservations, one of them was sharing a room with so many people at a time. It wasn't the first time he shared a room before, he had a master with his twin sister Missy for eleven years with her laughs, music and disorder, and last year with Yin, his Chinese co-worker in the internship in Germany. He was very tidy, but incredibly open to nudity in the room, and that was unacceptable.

Since his father, George, died two years ago, Sheldon was trying to avoid going home more than necessary, he knew he should support his mother more, but being at home and not seeing him there, was too much to deal with at this time of his life.

Last week was especially difficult for him, since it was his mother's birthday, and all the family comes to town to celebrate, too many Coopers together in one place. Now, all he needed was to get as soon as possible to Colorado, and to spend the next four weeks doing what he liked most in the world, science.

\- "God, don't let them burn the house, please". Mary sighed, entering into the car and placing the rear-view mirror well, while the car, gently, started on the road.

\- "Mother, I already told you, I can go by plane, it's not necessary to drive me there, it's a long trip and you know as well as me that Georgie and Missy shouldn't have the house for themselves". Sheldon said, taking his book out of the glove compartment and checking his seatbelt.

\- "No, no, my baby has just returned from Europe, we haven't had time to talk, and don't worry Meemaw is on her way, they will not believe that they will be alone, right?". She said proudly, winking at him.

Mary looked at his son beside her, in this last year he had changed a lot, he wasn't the little kid who let him be wrapped up at night or asked for spaghetti with little pieces of hot dog cut into it. Although, that last one wasn't true, since he had asked for it the night before. Now, he was quite a man, tall, lean, yet well-built and peculiar, especially that. With his 16 years he had already passed the university and had his own PhD, although she was sure that it wouldn't be the last one.

\- "So, Sheldon". She said, calling his attention. He closed the book he was reading, and supported it on his knees. "Why this camp? You've been doing science stuff all year, don't you want to rest a little at home before going to Caltech next fall?".

\- "First, mother, I don't do science, I study the universe and everything it contains". Sheldon buffed. "And I'm not tired of it, I don't need a break of something I love".

\- "Alright". She rolled her eyes and continue. "It's just that, next year you will be on the other coast and I thought you would spend the summer with us, I know isn't as fancy as the camp, but we really missed you this year".

Sheldon looked at her mother, her blue and beautiful eyes which he had inherited, were full of love and tenderness."I missed you too, mom". He simply said, looking down at his book again. "But I really need to do this, sorry".

\- "I know, sweetie". Mary replied, returning her attention to the empty road.

Sheldon wasn't the kind of son who express his love openly, it was counted the times that she had heard an "I love you" from his lips, but deep down, Mary knew that his heart was so big that it was difficult to express everything he feels in it, and that his love for her was beyond anyone, and for her, that was enough.

* * *

Amy closed her book and rested it against her chest, sighing and closing her eyes. Love novels were not her favourites, but Jane Austen always make her spill more than one tear. In a move of her neck, she pushed her long and dark hair back to over one of her shoulders, and started playing with it between her fingers.

Through the window of the bus she could see the vast and dry desert of Nevada with a big and bright sun shining in the clear blue sky. There were still more than 10 hours left, but the emotion invaded each of her senses. This trip was the farthest she had ever be from California in her life, and as far from her controlling and overprotective mother. It had taken her fifteen years, but finally she had managed to get out of her.

Next autumn she would start his first year at Harvard, on the other side of the country. She had worked so hard, and this was the final reward, four long weeks away from everything, from her city, her stupid high school classmates, her relatives and from all of those who had make fun of her, day after day. In Colorado nobody knows her, is a new start, no more Gorilla-Fingers Fowler, as those dumbs had nicknamed her, she would be simply Amy, and she will get her first friend, and not any friend, her best friend ever.

She smiled, resting her head against the back of the seat. "My first best friend or bestie, whatever she wants". She whispered.

* * *

One day and too much hours in the car later, Sheldon and Mary arrived at Colorado Springs. A beautiful and huge camp surrounded by tall green leafy trees. At the entrance, a large sign welcomed them, and dozen of buses filled the parking lot.

\- "I think this has been a mistake, it is too far from the next city". Sheldon got out of the car, looking around in horror. "What if a bear attacks me?".

\- "Honey, there are no bears in this part of the forest, besides, everything is walled, there is no danger". Mary approached to her son, surrounding him with her arms to calm his anxiety. "We will do one thing, you enter, and I will spend the night in a hotel near here, I will go home when the sun rise in the morning, if you regret to be here, you just have to call me and we will go home, alright?".

\- "Okay, but don't get too far away from the hotel phone, I don't think I can stand here tonight". He said, as he placed his backpack over his shoulders and kissed his mother on the cheek.

Mary leaned on the hood of the car, watching as her son walked in terror to what would be a dream summer for Missy or Georgie. "Please God, take care of my little one, I've done it for 16 years, now it's your turn". She prayed, entering in the car, and driving away.

Sheldon walked through the camp, heading towards the center, where the rest were laughing and chatting among themselves. As he looked around a young blonde with a big smile approached jumping to him. She was wearing what looked like the uniform of the camp, brown tight shorts and a yellow t-shirt with the logo, too small and notched for his taste.

\- "Hello, and welcome to the Colorado spring summer camp!". She exclaimed with a smile, shaking her head and moving the blond hair of her ponytail. "I'm Penny, and I´m one of the cheerleaders of the camp, you can leave your backpack there with the others, and enter the auditorium, our director is about to say his speech of welcome".

\- "Hello Penny, my name is Sheldon Cooper, and there is no way I will throw my backpack onto the dirty floor, I'll take it with me until they assign me a room".

\- "Ok, well, as you wish, Sheldon". She said confused, placing her hands on her hips. That young man was tall, more than the average of nerds who usually come to the camp every summer, although not one has as serious as him. "Now go to the auditorium, I will see you later".

\- "I doubt it". He murmured, walking away from her to where she had indicated him, with still his backpack over his shoulder.

Penny watched as that lanky and tall boy walked away from her, he didn't seem much older than her, but he spoke in a very adult and pedantic way. She rolled her eyes as a young red haired girl with the same uniform approached to her smiling.

\- "Who was him, Penny?". She asked. "I haven't seen him other years".

\- "Me neither, maybe he is one of the new additions of this year, but I swear, he is quite arrogant".

\- "It will not last long, you know how the boys are, give him time and in a few days he will be drooling for us like the rest of those nerds".

\- "Ugh, Karen, stop it". Penny laughed, and both girls walked to a new group of boys who were entering to the camp with bright smiles to them.

* * *

The auditorium was overflowing with teenagers screaming and laughing. Sheldon sat on one of the few free places that remained free, leaving the backpack on his feet, and praying for the seat be properly disinfected. Suddenly, the lights went out and in the center came a big light that pointed to a tall man in his early twenties that smiled at them.

\- "Welcome to Colorado spring camp everyone!". The man said from center of the stage, with a big speaker in his hands and dressed like the girl from before. "My name is Dr. Eric Gablehauser, but you can call me Eric, and I will be your director for the four next weeks of fun!" He shouted, and the rest of the audience cheer at him.

\- "I am PHD in physics, so I encourage my team to win the science cup this year, go physics, go!".

\- "Physics, physics!". Many of the boys began to cheer, clapping along.

\- "What cup?". Sheldon asked a young man sitting next to him.

\- "It's the science cup, each science department competes against the others and the one who gets the most points at the end of the summer win the cup. It's a tradition, but physics hasn´t won for years, this may be the year". The young man explained.

\- "You can bet on it, now that I'm here that cup will be ours, my name is Sheldon Cooper, by the way, and I'm on the physics team".

\- "What a coincidence, me too, my name is Leonard Hofstadter, nice to meet you". Sheldon looked at the young man, he was much shorter than he was, even sitting. His brown hair was wild and curly, and has a pair of big round glasses on his small nose.

Sheldon returned his attention to the director's speech, who was explaining the basic rules of the camp. Sheldon, of course, had already read and memorized them during his trip, and he even had some new ones that they should be add to the list.

An hour later, the welcome speech was over and the boys leave the auditorium along with the rest. Leonard accompanied Sheldon to the registration office to be assigned to his room, a process he had done just before meeting him. As they walked by into the small office, the smiling young blonde from before greeted them with her hand.

Leonard stood motionless staring at Penny who returned him the smile, without knowing very well what to do. She was much taller than him, blond hair and sun tanned skin. Her eyes were large and bright green, and she had a cute orange flower with glitters holding in her long ponytail.

\- "Hello, Sheldon". She shouted. "We see again, I told you".

\- "If you say so". Sheldon sighed exasperated, raising his eyebrows. "I come for my assign room, here is my reservation number". He said, giving her a small paper.

\- "All right, just wait a second, sweetie". Penny said, entering into a small room behind the desk.

\- "You know her? Oh my god, she is so beautiful!". Leonard groaned, turning toward Sheldon with wide eyes.

\- "Yes, I've seen her once, she welcomed me at the entrance of the camp". He said, without understanding very well what was happening.

\- "And she remember you?". He sighned. "Oh my, how lucky are you, I'd give anything if she will talk to me".

\- "Oh, Leonard, I think your priorities are disturbingly poorly selected". Sheldon said, as he watched how Penny was returning with some papers and a key in her hand".

\- "Thanks for waiting, boys". She gave the papers and the key to Sheldon. "Here are the rules, your entry forms and the key of your room, is the number twelve, you will find the cabins on the right side when you leave from here, and if you get lost there are maps post scattered around the camp". She said with a smile. "Welcome to the camp, again".

\- "Thank you, Penny, see you later". He simply said, but then he saw Leonard's face that looked fixed at her like a puppy. "Oh, yes, Penny, this is Leonard".

\- "Hi!". She smiled at him.

\- "Hi!". He quickly replied.

\- "Hi?". Penny asked as she watched how he started to breathe very hastily. "Are you okay, Leonard?".

\- "He is ok, we need to go". Sheldon said quickly, grabbing Leonard, and leaving the office as fast as they could.

\- "Why did you do that?". Leonard asked with his voice still faltering.

\- "Do what, taking you out of there?". Sheldon asked confused.

\- "No, introducing me to Penny, I wasn't ready".

\- "I thought that was what you wanted".

\- "Yes, it was, but not like that, now she'll think I'm stupid, you don't understand".

\- "I really don't". He said, swinging his head. "But she may only think that you have a respiratory problem or anxiety".

\- "Great, on top of stupid, sick, that is what girls like the most". Leonard said exasperated. "Let's go to find the cabins".

\- "Now you owe me something". Sheldon said as they walked.

\- "What are you talking about?". Leonard stopped in tracks, looking at him with wide eyes.

\- "You said that you would give anything if she speak to you, well, she spoke to you thanks to me, therefore you are in debt to me, but don't worry, I still don't have in mind what will be". Sheldon says proudly while Leonard rolled his eyes and keep walking.

The two young found their way to the cabins. A large and dark wood house, with a staircase at the entrance, and a sign with the number to which they corresponded. After walking a few more meters, they found the cabin, which fortunately for them corresponded to both. Inside there were four bunk beds, a few closets and the camp uniform on top of the beds. Sheldon looked around, it was clean enough to let it go by now. He thought, looking for the right bed, and leaving the backpack on it.

After unpacking their belongings and changing into the uniform, Leonard and Sheldon went out to enjoy the first day in the camp, the only day which was not programmed with activities. Both decided to do a tour around to get familiar with the place.

Sheldon felt weird going with his new clothes. Brown shorts pants, up to the knee, a white t-shirt with the logo of the camp and matching socks. His white sneakers were the only thing he could wear from himself, apart from the underwear, of course.

The two friends walked through the camp, discovering where the laboratories, the conference rooms, the dining room and the dressing rooms were. They talked about their studies and hobbies, and began to discover how much they had in common, although for Leonard, Sheldon was still too similar to his controlling and demanding mother to consider him a possible friend.

\- "So, you start working at Caltech this fall?. That's awesome, I just got admitted to Princeton, I hope I can work at Caltech someday, maybe we'll become co-workers".

\- "That would be interesting". Sheldon said, smiling. And Leonard noticed, that it was the first time he saw him smiling since he met him hours ago.

\- "And Sheldon, is there any girl waiting for you in Texas?". Leonard asked with curiosity.

\- "Well, there's my mother and my meemaw, and if you want to count my sister, Missy, but I don't think she miss me as much as my mother always says".

\- "No, I mean if you have a girlfriend, or a special friend". Leonard explained laughing.

\- "Of course not, I'm not interested in any kind of love relationship with anyone, I'm committed to science".

\- "Oh, well, maybe when the time comes, and you find a good girl, you'll change your mind".

\- "Why, do you have someone waiting for you in New Jersey?".

\- "Me?. Oh, I wish. No, for women I'm totally invisible, but I don't lose hope, surely the perfect girl is close, it's matter of time, budy".

\- "Not for me, I assure you". Sheldon concluded.

As he walked he turned around without looking, colliding head-on head with a girl who fell abruptly onto the muddy ground in front of him. Sheldon crouched quickly, seeing as the girl was sitting, with her long hair on her face, and full of mud that covered her legs and arms.

\- "I'm so sorry, are you okay?". Sheldon lifted her up, while looking around while the rest of the people were laughing.

\- "Perfect, this was what I needed, this day couldn't get any worse". She exclaimed pissed, as she pushed her hair away from her face.

Sheldon stared at her with wide eyes, her long and dark hair fell on one side, so long that it almost touched her waist, her eyes had an intense green shadow, a color which he had never seen before, and her lips were thin and pink. A large pair of glasses cupped her nose, that many would consider big, but Sheldon found it particularly cute.

\- "I'm so sorry, do you want me to help you clean?. Sheldon said, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket.

\- "No, leave it, I don't need anything else". Amy shouted, turning and heading towards the cabin, trying to suppress the tears in her eyes.

For Amy, the day start totally worse. When she woke up in the bus this morning, she noticed that her bag had been stolen, with all her clothes inside. The police said that she might not recover it, and her mother only made it worse, trying to convince her to come back to California. The box with more clothes will arrive in a few days, but now, thanks to this guy, she doesn't even have clean clothes for the first day.

Amy left the bathroom, after washing as much as she could her legs and arms for all the mud, but unfortunately her clothes were still covered with it. While walking to her cabin, she saw the laundry room. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if she would wash her clothes and wait inside. After all, nobody was around and she couldn't make friends if she is the mud girl of the camp.

Without thinking twice, she entered to the laundry room, and as she had anticipated, it was totally empty. Carefully, she opened one of the washing machines, taking off her pants and t-shirt and turned it on, while she sat in front of her, just in her bra and panties.

Looking around, Amy found a science magazine by her side. "At least my luck is changing". Amy sighed, opening it and starting to look through the articles.

Sheldon walked through the camp looking for the mysterious girl, he felt really bad for pushed her into the mud, he more than anyone, knew how horrible it is to feel humiliated, and dirty. He walked with firm steps, looking for a closet or room where he could find new clothes for her and could be able to ask for forgiveness. Suddenly, he saw the laundry sign, surely there will be extra clothes for this kind of situation, he thought, opening the door and entering without looking first.

\- "Oh my god!". Sheldon exclaimed, when he saw the girl standing next to one of the washing machines, with only a pink underwear to cover her bare body and her long hair over her shoulders, covering the most part of her bra.

\- "Get out!". She screamed, covering all her bare skin with her hands that she could.

Sheldon closed his eyes at that instant, "I'm so-, ouch!". Sheldon screamed, whirling around and hitting himself hard with the door behind him into his face.

\- "Are you ok?". Amy ran to him, watching as the boy covered his face and growled in pain, blood began to fall between his hands. "You're bleeding! Let me see".

Sheldon pulled his hands away from his face, and when he opened his eyes the girl was in front of him, looking worried at him and having completely forgotten that she was practically naked.

\- "Yo- you are naked". Sheldon stuttered, looking away while his cheeks flushed.

\- "Men are really incredible, you are bleeding and that's what you saying?". Amy protested, seeing how his nose was the one bleeding from the blow. Carefully she guided him to the floor, placing his head forward, "Stay like this, I'm going to take some paper".

Amy moved around the room, picking up some papers and creating rolls for his nose. She then, sat in front of him, raising his head softly, and pulling the paper soflty into his nose.

\- "Thank you". Sheldon said in a low voice due to the clogging of his nose.

Amy noticed for the first time his eyes, they were intense blue, as the sky she saw on her travel, the same one that captivated her. Even with the paper on his nose, he wasn't a looking bad boy. His skin was white and soft, and his hair was scrambled, in a fun and cutevway.

\- "You're welcome, I wasn't going to let you bleed no matter how angry I am". She said with a smile and he returned to her.

They both stood for a few seconds looking at each other, regardless of the blood, and that Amy was still wearing her bra and pink panties. It was a strange feeling, as if they, somehow, knew each other before, from another life or a vivid dream.

Suddenly, the door of the laundry room opened wide, and a scream came from there, making both of them turn suddenly to face one of the camp assistants.

\- "What are you doing?. Director!". The boy screamed, running from there.

\- "No no no!". Both shouted at once, rising from the floor.

* * *

 **Hey, thanks so much for reading this new story. As a lot of you know, this was a crazy idea from a dream I had last night, I ended writing a whole chapter and a storyline for the rest, so don't tease me too much if it's not good enough!. Thanks to my beta Linda, she encourage me to write it and she beta all a few minutes ago, she is the best!.**

 **Note: I know the characters, as Penny or Amy are younger in the serie, but here all the characters have the same age :) (It's an AU guys, keep it cool). Penny and Amy 15 to 16 in december and Sheldon and Leonard already the 16.**


	2. The punishment

**Chapter 2. The punishment**

* * *

Sheldon ruffled with his hands over his head, sighing and trying to understand what had happened to be in a situation like this, how the previous events had defined what would be his first contact with the director, and therefore his only experience in the camp.

He looked around the room, trying to gather more information which will help his dazed mind to understand. Sitting beside him was that girl, with a blue and big sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants over her legs that she had been forced to wear. She was almost in tears while the director walked around the room, infuriated.

\- "So, are you telling me that what the witness saw was a lie?". Director Eric repeated, as he walked through the office, at a nervous pace.

\- "No sir, what I'm telling you is that it's been a misunderstanding, we don't ...". She looked at him nervously. "We weren't having any relationship at all". Amy clarified feeling her cheeks burned in her face.

\- "Then answer me to this, please, were or weren't you on your underwear when they found you, miss?".

\- "Well … yes, that part is true, but …" Amy was cut off at once.

\- "And is not true that you were both locked in the laundry, and laying on the floor?".

\- "That's also true, but in my defense, I was cleaning my clothes when this boy, without any invitation, interrupted in the room". Amy glanced to Sheldon, looking at him for a complicity that it seemed to be nowhere. "I can assure, sir, that I didn't want him there".

\- "Then miss, what you are exposing is very serious, are you saying that he tried to overstep with you?".

\- "What?. Absolutely not!". Sheldon shouted, getting up from his seat. "I can assure you that I hadn´t or have any intention of doing anything with this woman. The only crime I did was make sure that she was alright and now you are judging me like an animal". Sheldon defended himself, without making any eye contact with her.

Amy bit her lip and looking at her feet. She didn't know if that boy words had been more painful than the shame of having been caught in such an embarrassing situation, or at least they hurted as such. She looked up again, seeing how the tall boy explained with incredible certainty everything that had happened in the laundry, so precise that it seemed he was reading it from a script which he had written by himself.

\- "Okay, let's say I believe you, what do you think I should do?". The director got up from his seat, walking towards the window and looking through it. "At least a punishment is in order, after all, you have broken some of our rules".

\- "Yes, sir". Both answered at time, while they waited with wide eyes which would be the punishment for their acts, that although innocent, they broke the norms which they accepted to fulfill.

\- "Well, let's see, it may be unorthodox, but we still have many things to finish ordering, and the library is a disaster". The director walked to them and placed a hand on both shoulders from behind. "What do you think if from now until tomorrow morning it is your task of classify and put the books in order?. I think that will serve as a way to focus on what you have to do". He finished, walking toward the door and opening it. "I hope not see you again here, and now let's get to work".

Amy and Sheldon got up and walked to the door, while the director returned to his desk with a smile and without saying another word. The receptionist led them to the library where she gave them garbage bags and two buckets with cleaning supplies.

* * *

Sheldon opened the big wooden door, a large room stretched in front of them. Dozens of shelves with hundreds of books scattered without order or coherence, while the dust of a whole year covered every surface of the room. Two large windows let the midday light entering into the library. The beginning of a punishment, which for what it seemed, would last longer than they expected at first.

\- "Wow, is a lot of work to do". Sheldon exclaimed, entering in the big room and checking the thickness of dust on the table by the door.

\- "Better start cleaning and don't talk anymore, you've done enough today". Amy murmured, leaving the bucket on the floor and pulling up the sleeves of the sweatshirt.

\- "Excuse me, what's that supposed to mean?".

\- "That thanks to you I'm the joke of the camp, without forgetting that I have been punished because you had to put your head where you should not".

\- "I don't think that's the case, and it was all your fault, who is so stupid to hide in a room without closing it and in just her underwear?".

Amy let out an exasperated groan. "Excuse me, mister smartpants, but I was in this situation because of you". Placing her hand on her hips. "If you hadn't pushed me into the mud all this would not have happened".

\- "That was unintentional, and since when is an insult be smart?".

Amy took a deep breath, biting onto her tongue to hold the words which she want to scream at him. "Look, we shouldn't talk anymore". She sighed. "I'll start cleaning in the back and you can start in the entrance, so we will not have to see each other, alright?".

\- "Seem right". Sheldon said, putting on his gloves and looking at the products in his bucket, while Amy scattered steadily towards the back of the room.

Amy walked muttering to the back of the room, unpacking the cleaning products and starting with the books of the last shelf. The minutes passed in silence while in her hands the books slipped by. Darwin, Matt Ridley, Edward O. Wilson ... authors with which Amy had fallen in love with science, biology and reading since she was a little and lonely girl in California.

She had never been the Californian type of girl. She had never been tanned, nor spend the days under the sun at the beach. She had never learned how to surf or waited for the weekend to go shopping or goes to a party. Her mind was stimulated with good books and classic music and her Saturdays consisted on watching the house on the prairie, or playing the harp in her room, alone, always alone.

It seemed like a good idea to come here, to start from zero and finally have a summer which she could remember with joy and friends, but it seems that it will never happen. Amy sighed, placing one of the perfectly cleaned books onto the shelf, while a tear slid down her cheek.

\- "Here are hundreds of books". Sheldon exclaimed suddenly. "Dr. Gablehauser is crazy if he thinks we can finish this in time for dinner".

\- "I think he wants us to call him Eric". Amy pointed out while continuing with her task.

\- "Please". Sheldon buffed. "What kind of scientist would choose to be called without his title?". He said, rolling his eyes.

\- "Well, when you have your own PhD, you can make everyone call you Doctor".

\- "I already have one, but unfortunately due to my age most of them omit it". Sheldon clarified.

\- "What?. You have a PhD?". She asked him, leaving the bucket on the floor and approaching to Sheldon with wide eyes.

Sheldon watched as that young woman approached to him briskly with a surprised expression. Her long and dark hair was collected with a pencil that stuck out, and the blue sweatshirt was too huge, hiding her fine and beautiful figure. "What?". Sheldon shouted at himself, shaking his head at the memory of her in that pink underwear in front of him.

\- "Sorry what?". Sheldon asked, swallowing as she stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.

\- "Do you have a PhD? How old are you?". Amy was amazed, that arrogant young man couldn't be much older than her, it was true that he was much taller than her, but his skin and eyes don´t lie.

\- "I'm sixteen, of course". He said as if it was the most normal thing in the world while Amy stared at him with a wide open mouth. "I went to university when I was 11 and I have just received my doctorate last year". Sheldon began to explain while Amy watched him curiously, thinking that probably he was the coolest boy she ever had met.

\- "They also advanced me classes in high school, I'm going to the university next fall, to Harvard, I have a full scholarship and I intend to get my PhD before I´m 21". Amy said secure of herself.

There were just a few things in her life that Amy could boast of, with no friends or social life all she has were her studies, they had become all her world, and she was good, very good at it, better than most of the people she knew, and every step she had taken had been meticulously prepared, so the next five wouldn't be different.

\- "I'm sure you will". Sheldon smiled at her, returning his gaze to the bookshelf.

\- "I'm Amy, by the way". She smile at him. "I think no one introduce us yet".

\- "No, they didn't". Sheldon turned his gaze back to her. "I'm Sheldon, Sheldon Cooper". Sheldon stretched his hand, squeezing it with her firmly.

\- "Nice to meet you, Doctor Cooper". Amy said, winking at him as he answered her with a laugh and nodding his head.

Sheldon felt a chill run through his body, making his skin goosebump. It was not the first time he heard someone call him by his title, indeed, at six, he tried to make it his official name but he it didn't get the expected results. But there was something in the way she said it, her tone of voice or the way her lips caressed each other, something which made it sound like the most exciting word in the dictionary.

And as if everything else had vanished both started talking while they continued cleaning. The minutes went by as the conversations between them flowed. They began to realize how much they had in common, science was for both their passion and they soon started to challenge each other in questions as complicated as they could think.

When the front of the room was almost finished, Doris, the assistant of the director brought a couple of sandwiches and some cans of coke for them. Sheldon had´t noticed that it was almost 2 pm, and since his customary breakfast at 6 am with his mother, he hadn't eaten a bite. He always had thought that an interesting conversation was much more pleasant than any food, even having to skip his lunch schedule, and with Amy, the conversation was, undoubtedly, an intellectual feast.

\- "Amy, would you like to play a game that I invented?". Sheldon asked, as he left his turkey sandwich on the plate and took a sip of his coke.

\- "Sure, I love games, what is it about?". She said smiling.

Amy was excited, she loved games, although many of hers were not so fun alone, like the twister or the ping pong, which despite of having an excellent serve hadn´t gone from there.

\- "It's called counterfactuals, I postuled and alternative world that differs from ours in one key aspect and then pose questions to each other". Sheldon explained, while Amy finished her sandwich.

\- "Sounds fun, I always like a good brain teaser".

\- "Alright, I will start so you can see how its working". He said, giving himself a few seconds to think. "In a world where rhinoceroses are domesticated pets, who wins the Second World War?". He asked with a wicked smile. "Don't worry if you don't hit it, it takes a while to catching the game".

Amy looked at him while squinting her eyes. "Uganda". She answered firmly as Sheldon opened his mouth incredulous.

\- "Wh- what?". He murmured.

\- "Kenya rises to power on the export of rhinoceroses, a Central African power block is formed, colonizing North Africa and Europe. When war breaks out, no one can afford the luxury of a rhino. Kenya withers, Uganda triumphs". Amy explained quickly, with the certainty that someone would recite the alphabet. "Is that correct, right?".

Sheldon gulped as he blinked hastily in front of her. In the ten years since he had invented this game, no one had given a correct answer, not even his professors at the university or his most recent roommate, Yin, who after twenty failed attempts stopped trying to the dismay of Sheldon.

\- "Fascinating". He just could murmured, while Amy returned to her sandwich with a smile.

Both played game after game until the night had almost darkened the library. Amy had laughed more in the last hours than she can remember in the last few years. Sheldon was undoubtedly the most similar person to her she had ever met, so much that it seemed like a dream.

\- "Oh, I have a new game". Sheldon said excitedly, while he placed the last books into the bookshelf. "It's called Scientists. I will name three scientists and you will put in other the size of their contribution to their respective fields. You must only consider the contribution of the man to the field, not the validity of the field itself".

\- "Sounds fun, you start". Amy said with a smile.

\- "Alright. Babinski, Clark Maxwell and Dirac".

\- "Too easy, Sheldon, of course, Babinski". She said quickly. "Come on, give me something more difficult".

\- "Wait a moment, how can you choose Babinski over Maxwell or Dirac, are you lose your mind?".

\- "Of course, Joseph Babinski is one of the most recognized and successful neurobiologists of history, compared to him theoretical physics is, what's the word I'm looking for?. Hmm, cute".

\- "Are you suggesting the work of a neurobiologist could ever rise to the significance of a great physicist as Clarke Maxwell or Dirac?". Sheldon opened his mouth as he was about to lose it.

\- "I'm stating it outright. Scientist like Babinski are mapping the neurological substrates that subserve global information processing, which is required for all cognitive reasoning, including scientific inquiry, making my research ipso facto prior in the ordo cognoscendi. That means it's better than every research you will ever do".

\- "Excuse me, but a grand unified theory, insofar as it explains everything, will ipso facto explain neurobiology". He growled.

\- "Yes, but if we are successful, we will be able to map and reproduce your thought processes in deriving a grand unified theory, and therefore, subsume your conclusions under my paradigm".

\- "Well that's not happening anytime soon, you still need to get your diploma and doctorate, Fowler, until then …". Sheldon shook his hands triumphantly, while he saw the fury in her eyes.

\- "You're not playing fair, Sheldon".

\- "Doctor Cooper, don't forget it". Sheldon raised his eyebrow. "And now, silent, let the brilliant mind think". Sheldon said, opening a book. Amy stormed, throwing the bucket onto the ground and shaking her hands.

\- "Argh." She screamed out loud, coming out in rage from the library. Never, in all her life, she had met someone as stubborn, self-centered and insensitive as Sheldon was. How could she even think, for a few hours, the idea of being his friend?.

\- "Ridiculous!" She screamed at herself, while walking without a direction established by the camp.

It was practically night, and on the path only the lights of the cabins were on. Amy walked a few more meters until she realized that she was, in fact, lost. Covering her face with her hands, she sat on one of the steps as the tears of frustration, which she was trying to keep back, falling down her cheeks.

She was not crying for that stupid boy, she told herself. She had a lot of anger and accumulated fatigue. All day had been a disaster, and there were still four long weeks ahead. Instinctively, Amy let out her cry when suddenly a few steps on the ground made her jump from her seat.

\- "Hey, sweetheart, are you ok?". A soft and tender voice asked her in the darkness.

Amy looked up, watching as a beautiful and ruby girl approached to her with a smile on her lips. Her hair fell on her shoulders, but had waves of having been picked up earlier. She was wearing a camp worker´s uniform, which Amy recognized immediately, and a bag in her hand.

\- "Mmm" Amy hesitated. "Yes, I'm alright, I just had a bad day".

\- "Well, then you're in luck, because the day is about to end". The girl joked, pointing to the dark starry sky.

\- "Yes, what a luck". Amy laughed as the girl walked to her and sat beside her still with a bright and big smile on her face.

\- "My name is Penny, what's your name?". The girl has big green bright eyes and a cute little nose. She was beyond beautiful, much more than the popular girls of her old High school. In fact, at her side, all those stupids looked like garbage bags with legs.

\- "I'm Amy, Amy Farrah Fowler". She answered, drying her eyes.

\- "Oh, You are that Amy?". Penny asked.

\- "Oh no, everyone already knows what happened, right?". Amy covered her face with her hands, embarrassed, while tears started to fall again from her eyes.

\- "Well, yes, but I was going to the library, I have your clothes". Penny placed the bag on her legs and looked at her. "Don't worry, tomorrow they will have something new to talk about". Penny lay a hand onto her shoulder, which was the nicest gesture since a long time.

\- "It's the story of my life, whenever something good is going to happen to me, somehow it bothers everything. This was going to be a new start, I will make friends and have a great summer, for a change." Amy said and whipped her tears away.

\- "Well, I can be your friend, something has changed already". She smiled.

\- "But you barely know me, why are you going to want me as a friend?".

\- "I don't need more, than to look at you to know that you are a sweet girl and that you are going to be an incredible friend". Penny stood up, offering her hand to Amy. "Come on, I will take you to the cafeteria for something to eat, you really need some chocolate".

-"Really? I thought it's already closed?". Amy said, getting up off the floor and shaking her clothes.

\- "It is. But that will make it more interesting, don't you think?". Penny took Amy's arm and they both laughed as they walked down the dark camp.

Amy closed her eyes for a second, feeling the soft summer breeze on her face. The sky above their heads was completely full of stars, and only the sound of their footsteps and the crickets in the bushes filled the night. "It may be a great summer after all". She whispered.

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading fellows. I'm so overwhelmed with all the reviews and love for this story, I have so much things in mind for this fic, and hope I can be able to make it real, and hope you can enjoy it with me!**

 **A big thanks to my beta Linda, she always make some time for me and I will never been able to thank her enough. You rock!**

 **Next week, new chapter!**


	3. The Symptom of the Public

**Chapter 3. The Symptom of the Public**

* * *

He climbed the three short steps which lead to his cabin, rubbing his sneakers against the foot mat in front of the door, trying to remove all the mud and dust on his shoe soles. Although sharing a room with six other boys will make it difficult to keep the floor clean, Sheldon will not cease in his attempt to maintain order and cleanliness. It was only logical.

Sheldon buffed, thinking of how much he needed a good rest. It had passed almost two hours since his bedtime, and that was unacceptable. And everything just because Amy left him with nearly half of the work in library, without even giving him an excuse, she just left. It was not only in Texas, that all the girls were crazy, he thought, opening the door to his cabin slowly.

The horror reflected on his face in the instant he put the first foot into the room. As if it were a vulgar den of perdition. Hs bedroom was full of people, with shrill music and vociferous growls of a dozens of strangers who occupied every inch of the place.

\- "What is going on here?". He shouted, but none of them even raised their head into his direction. Sheldon followed his eyes to the only person he knew, finding him beside their bunk bed chatting with a group of boys.

In firm pace Sheldon walked through the room, avoiding to touch anyone and standing in front of Leonard who looked at him with a smile which disappeared instantly as he gazed into Sheldon's fury eyes.

\- "Leonard, what is all this? Who are these people?".

\- "It's a party, they were going to be just a couple but all these guys signed up".

\- "I already see that, what I wonder is how you let this happen?".

\- "Oh come on Sheldon, they're just talking and having fun".

\- "One moment". A skinny and lanky boy with a prominent nose jumped up, staring at him. "You are Sheldon Cooper?. What a dog!. You are the one who made out with that girl in the laundry!". He shouted, making the rest of the room turning to them while clapping and screaming with enthusiasm.

\- "What? NOT". He shouted, looking to everywhere. "Of course not!". Sheldon answered indignantly but the crowd only cheer him more.

\- "I heawd that giwl is puwe fiwe". Another boy said, touching his shoulder, to which Sheldon jumped away in a swift move. "Coopew, you must be an ace if you managed hew the fiwst day".

\- "Please don't touch me". Sheldon clarified, stepping back from him. "Nothing happened between Amy and me, it was a mistake that we have already clarified with director Sieber".

\- "Gwww Amy ... sounds like she is a fiewce". He purred.

\- "That's totally inappropriate, Amy is not such a thing!". Sheldon said indignantly. Amy was a lady after all, his mother and his Texan heart impeded him to overlook such a comment and not helping the honor of a woman "Who are you anyway?".

\- "Oh, yes, he is Barry Kripke, he's on our team". Leonard said, trying to mediate the situation that was surpassing Sheldon.

\- "And I'm Howard Wolowitz". The skinny guy jumped with a smile "I'm in the cabin next door, in the Engineering team".

\- "Engineering?". Sheldon buffed, raising one of his eyebrows disgusted.

\- "What's that supposed to mean?". Howard growled, moving his hair over his forehead, beatles style.

\- "You are the Oompa Loompa of science. You have nothing to do if you pretend to beat us. What are you doing here in the physics cabin?. You can't understand what we are talking about".

\- "You can't be more arrogant, the engineers are as smart as physics or even more smarter!" Howard answered and SHeldon let out a big laugh.

\- "We better finish the party now." Leonard said quickly, to change the tense situation. "Tomorrow is a long day and I'm sure no one want to be tired in the math Olympics". He continued and all people in the room just nodded.

Gradually the room was getting empty, within a few moment, and only the roommates were around Sheldon, while he snorted over and over, seeing how they had left the room. There were cups scattered on night stands and floor, as long with traces of mud.

Sheldon rolled his eyes, "No one here knows how to clean his shoes properly before going into a room". He grunted, folding neatly his clothes, after putting on his pajamas and carefully opening the sheets of his bed.

Leonard took off his glasses, while covering himself on the bed and trying to ignore Sheldon's comments which seemed to have no end. He couldn't believe that his first experience away from home was to hear more complains, as if he had left his controlling and oppressive mother. Which was one of the reasons why he chose a camp 1,844 miles away from home.

\- "Leonard?". Sheldon asked from the bed below.

He positioned himself so that his head and chest came out of bed, looking at his roomate under him. Leonard hadn't see many apologies in his life, his parents thought they never did anything to regret, and certainly the buyllings of his high school had never done, so this moment seemed like a gift to him.

\- "I'm very disappointment with you, good night". Sheldon said, closing his eyes without further ado, and without moving an inch his of body, which seemed in that position more like a vampire in his coffin. Leonard rolled his eyes, returning to his bed and huffing. It was clear that today was not that night.

Despite the end of the day, the first day of camp had been a rollercoaster, a good one, and there was something that had simply been the best, listen the laugh of the blonde at the reception, her green eyes and that captivating smile ... "Penny". Leonard sighed, closing his eyes and falling into a deep and restful sleep.

* * *

The bell rang loud through every corner of the camp as the morning light came through the windows of the cabin. Sheldon opened his eyes, stretching his body and getting ready for his first official day of camp. He was excited, although, that word didn´t describe with total certainty his feelings.

Since he I was a child, he had waited and longed so much for an experience like this, but it never seemed the right time for it. First, his Mother wasn't willing to let him go for an entire month, then the university and the doctorate kept him so busy that it was impossible to match dates, and finally, last year, just as he was going to send the registration letter, his father passed away, leaving them all impassive. Now, this was going to be the year in which everything would fit, it was the moment before he would start his work at Caltech and his new life in California.

After he get dressed, into his wrinkle-free uniform, and left his bed neatly made, he walked through the camp, accompanied by his new roommates who chatted behind him, of something that did not seem interesting enough to get his attention. Around the camp everyone ran from one side to the other, laughing and chatting with their uniforms, perfectly and clean.

\- "Oh yes". He whispered, as he caught a big breath of the clean air of Colorado.

Sheldon loved that. Uniformity was something that gave him a bit of tranquility in his always, agitated mind. All his norms and schedules were nothing more than a way to control, for himself and for the restless world around him.

The boys sat at the large table in the cafeteria. The smell of hot chocolate, pancakes and bacon, flooded the crowded room while Sheldon scanned it, finding the best seat and sitting with Leonard and Howard on a table in the middle of the room with their corresponding trays in front of them.

Amy, wasn't in the cafeteria that morning, he noticed sadly. Not that he was looking for her, he said to himself. But even he knew that he had cross a line last night. Sheldon wasn't sure for the motive but he knew that a apology was in order. As his dad always said, "Every time a woman doesn't look at you with a smile, it´s time to say sorry", and like him, all Coopers men have the longest tongue and stupid minds when it comes to women.

After a pleasant breakfast, the four of them walked to the gym, where the first "math olympics" were held. The place was more crowded if that was even possible than the day before. The last bus from the north of the country had completed the camp, and the cheerleaders were walking through the stands, sharing flags and caps with the colors of the different teams.

Penny approached with a smile, balancing the blue flag, of the physics team. Today, she was wearing the cheerleader uniform, green top, with a big S on the chest, a very short skirt of pleats and matching high socks. Her hair was in pony tail and she had lightly colored her lips in a soft pink.

\- "Hi, Sheldon". She approached to him with a big smile, swinging her ponytail. "Physics, right?". She asked, pulling out a blue cap and flag from the pile of her hands.

\- "Hello, Penny. Yes, exactly". Sheldon answered, checking the cap before accommodate it onto his head.

\- "Are you ready for the first day?".

\- "Of course, otherwise I would not be here". He said, checking that he was wearing the uniform correctly, after all, she asked him. Penny waited a few second looking at him with her eyes wide open and raising her eyebrows. He was the perfect mix of an idiot and genius.

\- "Well, have fun". She said, trying to move on to the next, when Howard suddenly got up and stood in front of her.

\- "Enchanté mademoiselle". He said slyly grinning, catching her hand by surprise and kissing it. "Howard Wolowitz, engineering team, you may be familiar with some of my papers. My last one, a camera which orbits around Saturn to take high resolution digital photographs". He bragged.

\- "Mmmm". She stammered, wiping her hand disgusted on her skirt, and walked a step back from him. "If you're on the engineering team, I can't help you, just physics". Penny said winking at Leonard, who was smiling at her.

\- "Hello, Leonard". Penny said, taking out the cap and the blue flag for him.

\- "Oh, Hi - Pe -nny". He stammered, getting up from his seat. "You remember my name?".

\- "Sure, you're my favorite team this summer. Go physics!". She screamed, and the rest of the bench cheer her up at the phrase. "Have fun guys". She said, touching his shoulder with her hand and moving away to continue her task.

Leonard stood for a few seconds in complete immobility, absorted of everything, until Sheldon's hand grabbed him and sat him down onto the bench. He looked into his friend eyes. "Dr. Gablehauser is going to speak". He whispered and Leonard returned to his being.

Eric started to explain the rules of the game, while the cheerleaders chose the candidates from the different teams to bring them onto the stage. Sheldon was looking into the crowd, searching for her,he knew she had to be somewhere near. Finally his eyes caught her, she was waiting in the line of the biology team, ready to go onto the stage with a green cap and a flag in her hand.

\- "If you will excuse me". Sheldon jumped up from the bench, placing his cap well onto his head.

\- "Sheldon, where are you going? They have to choose you to go on stage". Howard said to him.

\- "Why on earth would I want to go on the stage?. I need to talk to someone, it's very important". He said, walking down the stairs without giving them time to answer.

He run down the steps, faster than in his entire life, avoiding touching unnecessary anyone, as in long steps he stared in front of her, looking at her from above. He was much taller than her, well, practically, that the whole camp. Amy turned around, feeling as if eyes had sunk into her.

\- "Sheldon, what are you doing here?. You can´t be here, this is the row for biology team". She placed her hands on her waist and gazed angry into his face.

Sheldon gulped, unsure of what exactly he wanted. Her long and dark hair was loose, sliding down her back, her team's cap sat lopsided onto her head and the green color accentuating her beautiful green orbs under her little glasses.

\- "I need to talk to you". He looked directly into her eyes. "It's important".

His voice sounded loud and clear, coinciding with one of the pauses in Eric's speech. The rest of the rows that were nearby, began to laugh and whisper. Amy felt how her cheeks flushed all over. They were the gossip of the camp, and Sheldon only made it worse and worse.

\- "I'm not going to talk to you here". She turned around, furious. "Everything I'm going to listen is on the stage".

\- "Very well". He simply said. Turning himself and walking from there in fast step.

Amy didn't want to look at him again. It was enough pressure need to solve the complex equations on the stage, to add thinking about hurting his feelings. It was not fair, she just wanted to spend a fun summer, meet interesting people, make friends, and just enjoy. Only for one in her life, just for once. She dried a tear which was going to spill from her eyes, breathing deeply, and walking as the row started to move onto the stage.

The rules were simple, they had 15 seconds per person to read and start the equation, when the bell rings the next on the row will continue where the first left, they can't erase anything and the first to finish wins.

Amy looked at her three partners, waiting with her in the line. An Asian boy, a short and corpulent boy, and a tiny blonde with big breasts and a pair of red glasses on her tiny and cute nose. She then looked at her opponents, suddenly finding the face of Sheldon in the line, staring at her and trying to whisper something from afar.

\- "What the hell is he doing here?". Amy whispered incredulously, rolling her eyes and gesturing with her hands to get him down.

The bell rang, and the first in line began to move, soon it was Amy's turn, but when she approached the board Sheldon jumped from his line towards her, interrupting her vision and starting to talk really quick.

\- "Amy, I need to talk to you".

\- "Go away, you're going to make us lose".

\- "But it's important". He told her, removing the marker from her hand.

\- "Sheldon, stop that". She said defiantly, taking her marker from his hand.

The bell rang again. Sheldon kept interrupting in the middle, muttering nonsense while Amy shouted at him, both removing again and again the marker from their hands.

\- "Hey jackass, keep your pants on!". The tiny blonde screamed in a shrill voice, pushing him forward. "We are in the middle of a competition". She pointed to the audience who was looking at them laughing.

Sheldon turned his head, looking how hundreds of people were staring at him. Until that moment he hadn´t noticed where he was. Suddenly, everything was moving around him, his heart was pounding hard in his chest and his mouth went dry.

\- "Oh, dear lord". He murmured, falling at that moment, where only a thud was heard and the shout of Amy at his side.

* * *

The light of the midday illuminated the room, while the soft summer breeze moved the curtains of the windows. Slowly, he opened his eyes, feeling a throbbing pain in his head. Carefully, he tilted his body, sitting on the strange white bed.

\- "Sheldon, you're awake!". Leonard's voice sounded a few feet away from him, and in a blink of an eye he saw his face, still blurry, right in front of him.

\- "Mmm". He murmured, stroking his head, where he noticed a bump.

\- "The nurse said you'll be fine". Leonard helped putting an extra pillow behind his back. "How are you feeling, buddy?. You've been sleeping for almost an hour".

\- "I'm not sure, what happened?".

\- "You don't remember?. You went on stage and after a few minutes, you faint". Leonard said, placing his glasses that had slid down his nose. "You almost fell from it onto the ground. Thank goodness she helped you".

\- "Who?".

\- "That brunette girl ... Amy, I think that's her name. She grabbed you before you slipped to the floor, and attended you until the nurse arrived. I think she knows first aid, or at least it seemed like that".

Sheldon nodded, listening to the story over and over. Now, he not only had to apologize to Amy, he also had to thank her for helping him, and all in less than 24 hours. A few minutes later the nurse approached. She explained the care he had to do for his bump, and gave him some pills and an ointment. He thanked her for the help, and both friends leave the nursing, walking over the camp.

It was almost afternoon, and around them, people whispered and pointed at them. It was clear, he could no longer go unnoticed in the camp this summer. First, for being supposedly a womanizer, and now he was the fool who faints in front of everyone. Sheldon sighed, as he walked with Leonard, who looked at him with a smile.

Almost when they arrived at the bedroom cabins, they came face to face with the group of cheerleaders, who were rehearsing one of their choreographies. Almost everyone started laughing, except for one. Penny smiled at them, approaching in three sweets little jumps, and covering Sheldon in a tight hug.

\- "Hey, Sheldon, how are you feeling?. I was very worried, but the nurse didn't let me in". She protested. "She said you had already company". She looked at Leonard, smiling at him.

\- "Thanks, I'm alright". Sheldon said, rubbing his fingers over his, still sore, head. "Yes, Leonard was with me inside".

\- "Aww, you are a really good friend". She said in a mellow voice, as she turned to Leonard, hugging him.

\- "Oh". Leonard let it go as a whisper, while his cheeks blushed. He closed his eyes, soaking in her scent, a mix of coconut and vanilla.

\- "Well, I'm glad you're better, Sheldon. Now I have to go". She said, pointing to the rest of the cheerleaders behind her. "I'll see you later, at dinner time. Go, physics!". Penny shouted, moving her pom pom, and walking away from them with her bright smile.

The both friends stood there for a few seconds, watching as she left jumping and started their routine again.

\- "She is perfect". Leonard murmured. "Our children will be smart and beautiful". Sheldon looked at him from above, arching his eyebrows.

\- "Not to mention, imaginary". He finished.

* * *

Amy walked among the lakeside, following the furrow in the sand and staring smiling at a family of ducks swimming in the crystal and clear water. Colorado at this time of the year was beautiful, not that she has seen it on another season, but any place other than California, or more specifically than Orange Country, was a paradise to her eyes.

The sun was shining bright on the water, creating sparkles which reflected in the tiny glasses on her nose. The forest behind her have an intense green, and was the most leafy one she had ever seen. The air was so clean and fresh that Amy took a deep breath, letting her lungs flood with the intense smell.

She walked a few more meters thinking about going back when she heard a sound. Following it, she arrived to a big esplanade, with a large rock where Sheldon was sitting, murmuring and babbling while a dozen of squirrels surrounded him.

\- "Sheldon?". Amy approached to him carefully. He was sitting on the rock, grabbing his legs with his arms and screamed at the squirrels around him "Are you ok?. What are you doing with the squirrels?".

\- "Oh, Amy!". Sheldon said in relief. "Thanks you are here, do something!". He begged. "These monsters are everywhere".

\- "Of course". Amy laughed. "You are in a forest, what were you expecting?". She said, approaching next to him and pulling some squirrels away with a branch, while she saw how Sheldon snorted and tightened his body more to himself. "How happened this anyway?".

\- "Well, I was taking a walk, when one of the squirrels approached to me, at first I thought he'd like to play or something but he just wanted my peanuts and …"

\- "Wait. Why do you have peanuts?". Amy interrupted.

\- "Amy!". He signed. "You always must bring some food and water when you go for a walk". He said, showing her the water canteen that hung from his pants.

\- "Of course". Amy said, rolling her eyes. "Keep going".

\- "Anyway, I gave him a small piece and before I realize he was crazy, at that moment I had a dozen around me, it was a nightmare". He explain while Amy tried to hide the smile. "The peanuts don't do any good to these animals, that's for sure".

Amy looked around, seeing the sweet little squirrels playing among the leaves on the floor. "Well, is not like they are gonna eat you or something". She laughed. "They are a delight". She said as one of them approached and she carefully caressed them.

\- "A delight?". He shouted. "You don't know what you're saying, they may have rage, get away from these monsters!".

\- "Oh, come on Sheldon, it's not going to do anything". Amy let the squirrel climb on her thighs. "Do you have more of those peanuts?". He nodded and gave her a few.

She placed them in her hand allowing the animal to sniff on them and started to eat. In a few minutes the other squirrels approached to her, scurrying between her legs and making her laugh because they tickled with their tails against her skin.

Sheldon stared at her. Amy had definitely a beautiful smile, shining white teeth, and with a beautiful soft lips. Her cheeks were flushed, and her glasses had slid to the tip of her cute nose. She was very sweet, he thought. He smiled, pulling the last peanut out of his pocket, leaving it in his hand and watching as a squirrel approached to him.

His heart was beating at full speed, feeling the beats in his ears, as the tickling of the squirrel on his skin make a nervous laugh escaped from his lips. Amy turned at him with a big smile, seeing his full smile and bright blue eyes, sparkling as a child on Christmas morning.

\- "Well done, Sheldon". She encouraged him. "See, they didn't do anything". Amy grabbed one of the squirrels with her hands, caressing, and placing it on his thighs.

Sheldon looked at Amy, laughing beside him. The day before they had passed an incredible day on the library, so interesting and stimulating. It had been a long time since he had find someone wich was a challenge and an enjoy talking to.

\- "Amy". Sheldon bit his lip, looking at his feet. "I'm sorry for my behavior last night. Sometimes I can be a perfect idiot". He murmured.

\- "I think it's alright, maybe I was a little bit dramatic. I don't think it was your intention to be cruel to me or to my field of study".

\- "Normally, it is". He said, turning his gaze to her. "Although, it was not my intention last night". He smiled. "And also thanks for saving me after I blacked out, they told me you helped me to not fall of off the stage, thank you".

\- "It was nothing". She shyly answered. "Are you feeling better?".

\- "I should think so, was not the first time and nor the last time, I'm sure of that". He said, touching his head, still aching.

\- "Do you have a stage fright?. I will never said that". Amy asked interested. For the short time she knew Sheldon, she would never imagined something like that.

\- "I am not afraid, per se, but I'm not comfortable speaking to large crowds".

\- "What, to you, is a large crowd?".

\- "Any group big enough to trample me to dead. General rule of thumb is 36 adults or 70 childrens".

\- "Well, is not that bad. I have a solution. I'm not an expert, but I read a study about it. I can help you, if you want". She sincerely said. "You don't want to faint when you receive your Nobel, right?". Amy winked smiling.

\- "I had never thought so, but you're right. You really want to help me?. Because I'm not really good at reading sarcasm and if this is it, you should tell me".

\- "No, I'm serious about it, it could be fun, both of us will learn something".

\- "Then, thank you, nobody has ever been so nice to me".

Amy smiled saddened, not by his words, but by how much she identified with them. Throughout her childhood and adolescence she had never received nothing more but teasings, and laughs for who she was from her classmates. Now she could do what she never got, sincerely friendship.

Both stayed a few minutes more in silence, lost in their own thoughts, while the summer breeze and the sun caressed their skins. The squirrel over Sheldon's thighs got up onto his two chips, scratching his nose sweetly.

\- "This one is really sassy". Sheldon joked.

\- "Oh yes, we can call him, Zazzles". Amy said, and both started to laugh so hard that they shooing them away. In a blink of an eye, they run away, hiding among the trees.

\- "Oh, no". Amy sighed sadly.

\- "It doesn't matter, we'll be back another day". Sheldon got up from the rock, shaking his pants. "With more peanuts". He smiled, giving his hand to help her up.

\- "Will we?".

\- "Of course, there are four weeks ahead, little lady, we have plenty of time to fool that squirrel to become our friend". He winked at her. Amy blushed at his words, passing her hair over her shoulder, and lowering from the rock. They both walked back to the camp, just in time for the bell calling for the dinner.

While walking through the woods, both laughed and planned an experiment to fight Sheldon's fear, they would start tomorrow, and they call it, the peanut mission. Ahead, there were still four weeks of science and fun, because the summer, has only just begun.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading, hope you like this new chapter, it was so fun to write, and to include new characters little by little. Sorry for Kripke, I don´t know if it's the way to write his speaking. (Yes, Raj is in it, just wait hehe).

More soon, now is time for some train *.* See you here in two weeks with more science, fun and teen´s hormones, Wohooo!


	4. The peanut experiment

**Chapter 4. The peanut experiment**

* * *

Sheldon woke up suddenly before the first rays of sunlight had even grazed the windows of the cabin he was sleeping in. Slowly, he stands up, trying not to make a sudden move that could alter Leonard's sleep, who was snoring placidly on the bed above. That young man had a serious problem of apnea, he thought, those snorings could be on the level of his own dad, and George could rumbled the entire house on his best nights.

Carrying his uniform and flashlight with him, he left on tiptoes from there and walked to the bathrooms, where he changed and put his pajama in the backpack. He didn't like to bring it with him, but bringing it back was too risky, someone could wake up and watch him sneak out. Looking at his watch, Sheldon walked through the camp, following the arrows that led him to the lake, while the sun began to rise and show the beautiful view.

The intense green trees lined the background of the lake that shimmered with the warm sunshine. The water was so clear that he could glimpse some fishes swimming in it. Sheldon made a mental note to never get into that lake while those beasts were there. He walked to the pier, where a soft and involuntary smile drew on his face as he stepped in there.

Her long and dark hair moved to the sound of the breeze and the rhythm of the trees swaying around. She was there, leaning on the fence, looking down to the lake while the sun caressed her white and soft skin.

\- "Good morning, Amy". Sheldon announced himself, trying not to startle her.

\- "Oh, finally you are here". She turned around with a smile so sweet that Sheldon noticed how the hair of his nape bristled. "Good Morning, Dr Cooper". She winked at him.

\- "You don't need to call me like that all the time". He suggested, knowing that he would miss the way her lips moved when she pronounced it.

\- "Oh, I thought you wanted everyone to call you like that, that you're not a hippie." She joked, and seeing his pale reaction she quickly came over him and winked. "It was a joke, Sheldon". She said, emphasizing his name.

\- "I'm sorry, I'm not very good with jokes, or sarcasm". He sighed. "And the list is much longer but we do not have time for that, let's start, please".

\- "Alright". She nodded. "Last night I studied some books from the library and I found also some advices in magazines, I want to try some of them and we will see their effectiveness". She sat on the floor with her legs crossed, while opening the notebook in her hands, to inspected it.

\- "I hope it's not imagine that everyone in the public is naked, because I can assure you that I will not try anything like that". Sheldon raised his eyebrows and she looked up at him rubbing her nose.

\- "Who do you think I am?. I take my work very seriously". She said with a hard tone. "Come on, sit down, we only have one hour until the rest of the camp wake up".

Sheldon gazed at his watch, 56 minutes to be more specific, then, he looked down at the wood of the pier where he had to sit in. It didn't look dirty or old, but certainly it wasn't a suitable place to sit down, especially with these shorts pants.

Amy cleared her throat, and without thinking, Sheldon was on the floor, his legs crossed and a few inches in front of her.

\- "Just for you know, that trick of the nudity, whose wisdom revolves around that we must visualize people in their natural state with their respective defects and virtues, can be a great advice for those who have very active the cerebral right hemisphere, whose functions are linked with creativity and the imagination in real time. However, I don't think it would help you much". She clarified in a secure and soft voice that Sheldon found totally captivating.

\- "It's sounds interesting, but much more out of my comfort zone". He clarified, and She nodded at his affirmation.

\- "Your problem is scientifically known as glossophobia, and to master the terror that you feel when you face an audience of strangers, it's very important to develop your diaphragmatic breathing, you know how it is?."

\- "Of course, it's the respiration in which we use the diaphragm as the main muscle". He said quickly.

\- "Yes, exactly. Now we are going to do a series of breaths to relax your body". She said, closing her notebook. "Let's start, lie down on your back, please". Amy began to explain while she was lying on the floor next to him, spreading her hair around her.

Sheldon looked at her as she stretched her body and closed her eyes. He gulped when his eyes sneaked for few seconds her navel on her flat belly, when her shirt slightly raised up. He shook his head, lying down beside her, both heads a few inches away from each other.

\- "Very well, now abdomen and thorax should be free, if necessary you must undo the buttons of the pants".

\- "It will not be necessary". Sheldon clarified quickly, feeling how his cheeks blushed just thinking about that scenario.

\- "Ok". She laughed a little. "Let's start. The inspiration has to be nasal, you have to take the air through your nose in a soft, deep and prolonged way". Her voice softened and deepened causing Sheldon to close his eyes in inertia, listening how her lungs filled and repeating the process to himself.

\- "In this type of inspiration only the abdomen rises, without moving the thorax, and in the inspiration the abdomen sinks. Put your hands on your abdomen and feel it". She said, picking up the air again and letting it go slowly.

Sheldon put his hands to his stomach, leaving them crossed and trying to check if he did it correctly. He took a deep breath and released it slowly, but it didn't seem to have the desired effect.

\- "Did you feel it?". She asked, raising her head a little to look at his hands and actions.

\- "I'm not sure, I'll try again". He said, repeating the action.

\- "You don't have well-placed your hands, let me". She raised, removing his hands and replacing them with her owns. Her body was half reclined, and her face at the height of his chin.

Sheldon could see from there her deep green eyes, and the intense smell of fruits of her hair that some strands brushed his face. He gulped, feeling his body paralyzed under the touch of her skin. She was so close that he could almost hear her blinking or the sound of her lips closing. He had never had anyone so close in his life.

\- "You have to place one hand on the upper part of the chest, and the other one on the abdomen and the little finger just above the navel". She said, while placing her hand in the position. "This will allow to control your moves. Now, slowly inhale through the nose, so that my hand on your abdomen feels the pressure of it rising, and the hand on the chest doesn't move".

Sheldon tried to breathe, move, or talk but it seemed impossible. His head was spinning and his heart was pumping blood that burned in his veins. His hands were cold and he felt them shake involuntarily. The touch of her soft and warm hands on his body was too much for him to proceed, and if he was not lying already, surely he would have fallen onto the ground.

\- "Sheldon, now is when you should breathe".

\- "I'm sorry, it's ... I'm not used to people touching me". Sheldon muttered, closing his eyes and squeezing his mouth, feeling how his words have escaped from his lips.

\- "Oh, I'm sorry". Amy pulled her hands away, raising them up. "I should have asked you before, I'm really sorry".

\- "It's ok, you are a good teacher and … the best way to teach is with practice". Sheldon lifted his body, supporting his arms backwards.

\- "Even so …" Amy lowered her head, hiding her flushed cheeks. "I think we can continue with the next idea, you breathe perfectly". She added, picking up the notebook again and hiding herself behind it.

\- "We should continue tonight, it's a bit late and I'd like to get to the cabin before the guys wake up". He got up from the floor, shaking his clothes.

\- "Of course, of course". She babbled. "See you after dinner, right here?".

\- "Yes, perfect, have a good day, Amy". Sheldon said with a smile.

\- "Same, Dr Co- I mean, Sheldon". Amy said shaking, as she watched as Sheldon walked away.

Sheldon walked briskly through the camp, almost reaching to it, when he heard the morning trumpet that informs everyone to wake up. Passing by his own cabin, he walked directly to the bathrooms, where a needed a shower was waiting for him. And although, he would never admit it, not even to himself, his monthly abuse was going to overtake his schedule this month, twice, that morning.

* * *

Sheldon finished his last bite of dinner under the watchful eye of Leonard, who narrowed his eyes behind his black pair of glasses. The day had been long and entertaining, though, all Sheldon had been thinking for hours was about his nightly appointment with Amy, for scientific purposes, of course.

\- "Wow, you were really hungry, Sheldon". Howard said while he saw his plate empty and the rest of the winged ones still with more than half.

\- "Mmm, I suppose". Sheldon muttered, wiping his hands and placing the things inside the tray. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going for a walk before going to sleep".

\- "A walk? Since when you walk?" Leonard asked confused. Sheldon had been most distracted and weird all day, and that's saying a lot about someone like him. But he was hiding something, he could tell.

\- "I start now". He simply said, walking away from them, throwing the contents of the tray and leaving it in his place while the rest of the guys looked at each other confused by his attitude.

Leonard stared at the door confused and thinking about his friend's attitude today. He was more distracted than usual, that was sure, he was looking non-stop at the other teams, and with hidden smiling from time to time that he totally saw. And for someone who spent the first day of the camp without smiling it was too much. He could swear he heard the door that morning, very early, it was still almost night, and later Sheldon wasn't there when they woke up. Sure, he came back later with a obvious recent shower, but, who needs more than an hour to shower?.

He sighned, thinking that maybe he was somewhat paranoid. He didn't know Sheldon that much as to judge him for a single day, but the conversation at the table didn't help him to disconnect either. Howard and Raj were still talking about the latest science fiction movie that Howard swore to have seen more than six times the last month. Barb Wire was called, and although Leonard knew the poster very well of that stunning woman, his mother would never let him watch something like that, much less dare himself to ask her.

He ran his hands through his curly and disheveled dark hair, as he could glimpse a long-haired girl walked quickly out of the cafeteria, nobody else had left yet, and he could say he knew her.

\- "Oh yes". He whispered, it was the girl Sheldon saw almost naked the first day of camp, it was Amy.

* * *

Sheldon walked to the showers, carrying his toiletry bag, flip-flops, and his blue and white stripe swimsuit on. He was not going to let himself be seen naked in front of a dozen of strangers, and if that meant showering for a month in a swimsuit, he was willing to do it.

It was quite late and all the showers were empty. He walked towards the last, hoping that nobody else came into it and he could relax. Just as he approached to the middle of the showers section, a rasping voice made him turn around.

\- "Sheldon, I didn't expect you here." Leonard said, his hair was still wet and a dark green towel with his initials was covering his waist. In his hands he had a gray toilet bag with matching flip-flops on his feet.

\- "Why not? You know I like to be as clean as I can". Sheldon said, as he placed his things in the shower opposite and waited for him to leave.

\- "As you'd showered this morning". Leonard said in a weird tone that Sheldon couldn't identify. "How was your walk?".

\- "It was …". Sheldon drew a grimace smile that erased immediately. ".. really great. I will probably go for a walk tomorrow too". He added, thinking that he had the perfect excuse for the whole week or the time that Amy needed.

\- "You know … I did a walk myself". Sheldon gulped, looking at Leonard´s wide eyes. "It was interesting the things you can see in the camp at night". He added, waiting for his friend to confesse.

\- "Really?. Well … mine wasn't that interesting". Sheldon turned around, opening the shower tap. "If you excuse me, I'll take a shower, I want to go to bed soon, I'm tired".

\- "I bet you are, you dog". Leonard whispered as he left the bathroom, thinking that he had caught his friend in his secret romance with a girl of the other team.

Tomorrow he was going to follow him, and see with his own eyes what was clear that he wasn't going to tell him. Leonard walked the way to his cabin, he hadn't thought about taking his pajamas with him, and now, the cold breeze of the night was playing tricks on him.

\- "Hey, nice towel". A girl's voice sounded in his ears like a punch in his stomach. Embarrassed and clearly blushed, Leonard turned around to meet the beautiful and lovely cheerleader who was smiling to him with her hands on her waist.

Penny laughed and walked to him. Her hair was loose in golden slings, due to the braids she had worn all day. Her makeup was removed and even so, Leonard knew he hadn't seen such a pretty girl in his life. She was not wearing her cheerleader uniform, instead, she has a pink top and matching shorts, flip flops with little red hearts and she smelled of coconut and vanilla. Surely her shower gel. Leonard thought with a shy smile.

\- "Hi- hi, Penny". Leonard stammered, covering his chest with his arms disguisedly.

\- "Hello Leonard". She looked him up and down, still with that bright and wide smile that characterized her. "Did you forget the clothes?". She joked, knowing the answer.

\- "Yes". He nodded. "And I will not forget them tomorrow, for sure".

\- "I'm sure of that. Good night, Leonard". She winked, as she turned to go to her cabin. "By the way, I love magnolias, they are my favourite". She said, turning her head to gaze at him, as she walked away.

Leonard remained motionless, he didn't even feel anymore the cold of the breeze that surrounded him. Raising his arm to his nose, he sniffed the smell of his own shower gel, magnolias, he sighed, knowing that they had been so close that she sensed him.

He walked to his cabin, putting on his pajamas and entering into his bed. All what his friends talked around him was just whispers for him, he was too groggy to even heard them, and the truth was, he didn't care either.

He went into a deep sleep within minutes. Dreaming with beautiful meadows with trees full of pink and white magnolias, surrounding for an enigmatic and beautiful green eyes, that accompanied him throughout the whole night.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Thanks so much for reading and for your awesome reviews. They are always appreciated. I hope you liked this chapter, I had a lot of fun with Shamy's part, poor guy, but teenager hormones are like that, right?. Soon the next chapter, more Lenny is coming too, I have a cute story for them in my mind and, of course, more Shamy. 3**

 **Thanks as always to my beta Linda, she is just the funniest ever, and a great help in almost everything.**


	5. The friendship construction

**Chapter 5. The friendship construction**

* * *

This morning, Sheldon almost spat out his food from his mouth, while watching how Leonard was staring at Amy without taking his eyes off of her while she walked near their table in the cafeteria. Trying to disguise it, Sheldon wiped his mouth, lowering his head, but when he raised it up, he had the intense gaze of Leonard on him.

\- "That's the girl from the first day, right?". Leonard asked, trying to read his face to see if his suspicions were correct.

\- "I'm not sure". Sheldon tried to disguise it, eating his cereal which seemed to stick in his throat as he lies.

\- "Seriously? I thought you had an eidetic memory."

\- "Yes, I have it". Sheldon took another bite of his breakfast and looked at him again. "I mean, I have not seen that girl well, it could or not be her".

\- "Yeah ... well, I think it's her". Leonard repeated, taking a bite of his toast.

\- "Well, what's the matter?". Sheldon stormed. "Are you interested in Amy or what?". Sheldon asked angrily. It was clear that something was happening here, and Leonard would not let it go.

\- "Oh, is that her name?". He asked, sarcastically.

\- "Yes, it is, I remember it from the first day, as you said before, I have an eidetic memory ".

\- "Yeah, sure". Leonard rolled his eyes, and threw his head back.

\- "Hey, guys, is something happening here?". Howard asked as he approached to the table. "Could it be that you are angry or something?". He lowered his tray to the table and sat next to Leonard.

\- "I do not know, ask Mr. Casanova, maybe he talks to you". Leonard angry shouted, getting up from the table, still with his breakfast half-eaten and storming away from the cafeteria.

\- "What the hell just happened?". Howard asked, raising his arms.

\- "Shut up, Wolowitz". Sheldon stand up, turning his head and roaming with his eyes through the room, finding Amy's eyes, who looked at him with curiosity and preoccupation for the scene she just saw. He whispered to her an "I'm sorry" and walked away from the cafeteria.

* * *

Sheldon walked through the camp looking for Leonard who was nowhere to be seen. He didn't know exactly what happened in the cafeteria but it was clear that Leonard was angry at him, and that bewilderment made him even more mad. Approaching the path which led to the library, Sheldon could see Leonard sitting on the grass, ripping some leaves from the ground.

\- "Leonard". Sheldon said, approaching to him with a firm step. "I think we should talk, I don´t understand very well what happened a while ago".

\- "Now you want to talk? I thought you didn't like that". Leonard said, rolling his eyes as Sheldon sighned, narrowed his eyes for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on.

\- "It's that sarcasm? Because I'm not very good with it and I'd prefer you to don't use it so I'm able to understand the conversation fully". Sheldon said, sitting next to him.

\- "Jezz, Sheldon". Leonard growled. "You lied to me! What you don't understand about that? I'm mad at you".

\- "I see that". He simply said, looking at Leonard eyes. "And, when exactly I lied to you?".

\- "Well, last night when you said you were going for a walk or even this morning when you lied about knowing Amy". He signed mad. "I know you two see each other in secret, and what you do". Sheldon´s eyes wide open with his rebellion. "If you don't want to tell me details it's fine for me, but you don't need to lie, friends don't do that, you know?".

\- "Oh, sorry, I didn't know that, the truth is that I didn't have a friend before". Sheldon confessed. "But from now on I will take it into account". Sheldon smiled, which touched Leonard, who smiled to him back.

Leonard could read at that moment the intense blue eyes of his friend, full of a lost innocence that emanated from them, and that made a smile appear on his face.

\- "Thank you". He sincerely said. "And I'm sorry for my attitude, perhaps I have overcome a little".

\- "Well, I have no way to classify it, but it will be a reference for future ones". Sheldon said, making Leonard laugh. "If you want to know something about Amy, you can ask".

\- "Oh, really?". He muttered nervous, and Sheldon nodded his head. "How many .. I mean, how many times you two … see each other?". Leonard said, raising an eyebrow, hoping that Sheldon could understood his question.

\- "Well, two times a day, for about an hour in the morning before everyone wake up, and another hour and half at night, it was an hour at first but Amy said I had a lot to practise so …". Sheldon explain, leaving his friend's mouth wide open. "Sometimes she is a little bossy, but I'm thankful for that anyway".

\- "Wow, she is really … ravenous". Leonard whispered, thinking that at that rate his skinny friend would be in bones before a blink of an eye.

\- "Well, I'm not sure, but I will keep an eye at her in the cafeteria, I didn't really saw her eating yet".

\- "What?. Sheldon, what are you talking about?".

\- "That Amy is helping me with my stage fright, were you´re listening to me?. Jesus it is like talking with a wall". Sheldon murmured.

\- "I thought that ... I believed …". Leonard started to murmur, while scratching his head. "You know what?. Never mind! It's doesn't matter!". Leonard sighned.

\- "Are you interested in Amy or something?". Sheldon asked, unsure if he would want to hear the answer.

\- "What?. No, I'm not and I will never take it from you, calm down".

\- "I do not need to calm down, I'm not nervous, and I must inform you that Amy and me are just friends". He did a pause. "She is very sweet, smart and kind but I'm not interesting in pursuit that kind of relationship ... with her or with anyone".

\- "Are you sure?" Leonard asked, seeing his friend nodded at him. "Then what does that smile on your face means when you talked about her?". Leonard said smiling to him.

\- "What smile?". Sheldon moved his hands to his own mouth, noticing how he was still smiling like a fool. "I don't understand". He murmured.

\- "Don't worry buddy, I'm just like you, a girl from the camp had me haunted, and now, I only can think about her, those green eyes and the magnolias that she loves so much, they chase me in dreams".

\- "Magnolias?". Sheldon repeated, and Leonard looked up at him as he nodded. "As the ones up here?. You're lucky, they're still blooming". Sheldon pointed upwards from their heads, they sat, in fact, under a beautiful Magnolia tree, full of pink and whites blossoms.

\- "I can't believe it. How I haven't seen them before?". Leonard stood up suddenly, looking with admiration at the precious tree in front of him.

\- "You should give her a flower if she likes them so much. My dad always brought flowers to my mother when she was mad at him, and sometimes, before so, as a prevention". Sheldon said with a little sadness in his words.

\- "That's a good idea". Leonard said with a big smile. "I will left her a flower on her desk tonight, she would love it".

\- "Very good, but be careful to write the correct name. Once my dad sent his lover's flowers to my mother and vice versa. It was not a good day for anyone". Sheldon explained, and Leonard nodded as he searched for the prettiest flower he could find.

\- "You know, you should take one for Amy, I'm sure she will love the detail". Leonard said, looking at the beautiful flower he had chosen for Penny.

\- "I don't think so, I already told you, we're just friends". Sheldon said again. "Unless friends give themselves flowers. They do it?". He asked confuse.

\- "Only special friends do". Leonard laughed, staring at his friend's confusing expression. "Look, it might be better that you don't give her hope if you don't want to be with her". Leonard placed a hand on his shoulder. "And the other guys would appreciate it too".

\- "Other guys, which other guys?".

\- "Well, you know, the rest of the world". Leonard said raising his hands. "Some guys from the camp. I've heard Kripke talking about her, so maybe he wants to date her or something".

\- "Kripke?". Sheldon shouted. "That weirdo from our room?. Please, Amy is much smarter than him, he even don't know if he should use an integral or a differential to solve the area under a curve".

\- "Well, that's not up to you, buddy". Leonard said, as they both started to walk back to the camp where the first games had started already.

* * *

Amy waited impatiently on the pier. Her feet were slamming against the wet wood as she watched the squirrels scurry through the big and green trees. In this hour of the afternoon the sky was beautiful, with orange and pink tones and the warm air of the day dissipated with the gentle breeze that began to graze her white skin.

She smiled softly, running her fingers among the fence. She couldn't deny that she had been thinking about this moment for hours. Throughout the whole day she had a big smile draw on her face, and she deeply was wishing to keep it until the end of the night. Sheldon was special, eccentric and, at times, intimidating, but he was also very smart, sweet and interesting. And his eyes, oh men, they said more than his body wanted to show.

She continued to daydreaming for a few more minutes until a few steps on the pier startled her. Turning excitedly, her smile vanished so quickly that she almost could feel as if she never had it.

\- "Hello Amy". Sheldon walked over to her. "Good evening". His dark brown hair was a bit scrambled from the last breeze that had stirred him, and he smiled softly at her.

Walking besides him there was another boy, much more shorter, almost two heads of difference. He was wearing a pair of black glasses, and his hair was curly in a soft brown color. He looked at her with a smile, and Amy could peek the funny way of his eyebrows, were broad and expressive, like two silkworms moving in his face.

\- "Mmm, Hi". Amy smuttered, feeling as if an imaginary person had hit her stomach with a big rock. She turned her body to Sheldon waiting for an explanation.

\- "This is my friend Leonard". Sheldon pointed, while Leonard waved his hand shyly.

\- "Not to offend but what is he doing here?". Amy approached to Sheldon, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from his friend a few steps to talk more in private with him. "I thought that we will keep this as a secret". Amy bit her lower lip. "I mean, do you think we can trust him?".

\- "I thought the same thing". Sheldon confessed, whispering so close to her neck that Amy blushed. "But Leonard explained to me that he has an extensive experience in psychology, his mother is a renowned psychiatrist, he could help you with new ideas".

\- "I thought my ideas were enough". She muttered, seeing as Sheldon looked to Leonard who was waiting while they were whispering. "Alright, if you think it will work". She finally conceded, crossing her arms over her chest.

Amy felt a rage go through her body, not only because there was an intruder among them, he also stole Sheldon's full attention that should be placed on her. She was the one who had been helping him for the past few days, losing hours of sleep thinking, reading and trying everything she could think of, and now what?. He was going to replace her for that boy?. Amy snorted, as she sat on the floor next to the boys.

\- "Then, Leonard, Sheldon told me that your mother is a famous psychiatrist". Amy said angrily in her tone.

\- "Well, yes ... it's, Beverly Hofstadter". Leonard murmured, trying to avoid having to talk about her more than necessary.

\- "Wait, you are talking about Dr. Beverly Hofstadter?". Amy shouted with her mouth wide open. "She is an eminence, is amazing!".

\- "Yes, well, she is very ... effective in her work".

\- "I loved her last paper, it's rumored that she is finishing a book, is that true?. Amy asked impatient.

\- "Well, yes, it is". He sighed deeply. "Much to my regret". Leonard mumbled as low as possible, it was already humiliating enough to suffer from his mother's cruel experiments as to explain them to someone.

\- "Well, I think we haven't come here to talk no senses, we have a job to do". Sheldon pointed out, looking at his watch.

\- "Oh yes, sorry Sheldon, let's start". Amy said smiling, maybe after all this it would not be so bad.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Thanks so much for reading and for your awesome reviews! I know I should had update first the End of the train but I had this chapter almost done I wanted to finish it quickly, next one is ready so I will publish it in a few days. Can't wait to show you all I have think for this story!**

 **As always, a big thanks to my bestie Linda, she is the best beta ever! Pretzel!**


	6. The Temptaion of the Margaritas

**Chapter 6. The temptation of** **the Margaritas**

* * *

It was the first Saturday since the summer camp started, the first week ended and the whole camp was crazy with joy. For all of them it had been an incredible week, full of fun stories and activities. Leonard and Amy had spent every night, since they met, helping Sheldon as a team. They had tried and practice all kinds of tricks against his phobia, they even sneak into the gym's stage to practice with chairs as a public.

Leonard was happier than ever. It was strange, he had never had friends like that, who helped each other and try to make them better. In his high school, he had a few colleagues in the chess team, and in the music band, but with no one he had fit as well as in the last week with Sheldon. He was weird and strange, and sometimes a little cruel to him, but Leonard knew it wasn't his intention, deep inside he was just an innocent and broken child.

For several days Leonard tried to help him, with a psychological session, trying to imitate his successful mother, Beverly Hofstadter, a renowned award-winning psychiatrist and author, but the session ended pretty bad with Leonard almost in tears who began to explain to his friend all about his disastrous and distant relationship with his mother.

Amy was also having one of the best weeks she could remember. She had spent many nights looking for more tricks, reading in the library, and looking through any psychology magazine she could find. Her relationship with Sheldon was fantastic, very friendly and they always had a great time during their sessions. But the best was hiding their friendship during the rest of the day, with secret looks and signals, it was the highlight of her days. She felt that those flutters in her stomach did nothing but grow every day when she was around him, his smiles make her melt, and his smell, so clean and like talcum, made her skin bristle. Her nights were full of sighs and enigmatic dreams, with deep blue eyes.

Her relationship with Penny, the cheerleader, also grew every day, their friendship was a gift to Amy, who never thought of having a relationship with someone like her. They spent hours laughing and talking every day, lately about a secret admirer who left a flower every night for Penny and she couldnt stop imagining how her perfect boy would be. She had also begun to establish some relationships with other girls on her own team, one of them, Bernadette, who was so funny that made her cry with laugh on multiple occasions. She was a tiny blonde with a high voice, but she had a character that could make tremble the biggest of the boys. That same night, Amy had her first ever girls night with them, after of course, her session with Sheldon. Amy couldnt be more excited, not only she had a friend, she had four, and any of them were imaginary.

\- "Ok, Sheldon, this may could help you". Amy said, opening the magazine she had found the previous night in the library. Leonard and her were sitting, legs crossed, on the dock that night, while Sheldon was standing in front of them, staring at both as he raised his eyebrows.

\- "This magazine says that it's a good idea to imagine your favorite person in the audience, instead of the old trick of imagining everyone in their underwear, which is a little weird". She added, making Leonard laugh. "Imagine that in each seat of the auditorium sat a clone of your favorite person".

\- "Yes, it's a great idea, that person listens and gives you approval in everything you say or do". Leonard added. "So, who is your favorite person?. Your mother, your meemaw?". Leonard asked, taking a look at Amy's magazine.

\- "Mmm…". Sheldon hummed, stroking his chin as he thought. "Mr. Spock, of course". He said, very sure.

\- "Who?". Amy shrugged her nose, trying to think who that person was.

\- "Oh, Amy". Sheldon scolded her. "Don't tell me you don't know what Star Trek is, you disappoint me, little lady".

\- "I'm sorry but I do know what Star Trek is". She said. "I've never seen it, but I know it's one of these silly series of spaceships, right?". She crossed her arms.

\- "Silly series of spaceships?". Sheldon shout. "Star trek is much more than that". He said indignantly, looking to Leonard to have his support in this topic.

\- "That's true". He confirmed. "Have you really never seen it? It's a great tv show". Leonard looked at her curiously.

\- "Well, no, my mother had the control of the television and she thought that seeing something like that could lead me to debauchery and drugs". Amy ended, leaving Leonard and Sheldon with wide eyes open.

\- "Anyway, Mr. Spock is sitting in front of you, hundreds of them". Leonard said, trying to avoid the crucifix to Amy from Sheldon for not being a fan of the series.

\- "Very well". Sheldon nodded. "Good evening Mister Spock, as you know …".

\- "Sheldon!" Amy shout, interrupting him. "You can't greet him. He is not here, you just have to imagine him". Amy scolded him.

\- "But if I imagine that he is the only person here and I know him, it would be impolite to not greet him, don't you think?". Sheldon explained, as Amy passed her hands over her face.

\- "Just say, ladies and gentlemans". Leonard added, rolling his eyes.

\- "But Spock is not a lady, or a gentleman for that matter". Sheldon corrected him, raising his hands in exasperation, as if, what his friends had just said was the dumbest thing he had ever heard in his life.

The lake was almost dark when suddenly, Amy's wrist watch started to beep. She had put an alarm to remember her to not be late to meet the girls. She jumped from the floor, with a wide and silly grin on her face.

\- "We finished for today". Amy said turning off her watch. "I have to go, I have a date tonight and I don't want to be late". She said with a bright smile.

\- "A - a date?". Sheldon stuttered, feeling how his blood started to boil. "Are you dating someone?". He asked, trying to hide his jealousy, with not very good success.

\- "Oh, no, nothing like that". Amy clarified. "I'm meeting some friends for a girls night, it's my first time, and I'm very excited".

\- "Oh, that's - that's great". He sighed in relief, not understanding very well why the idea of Amy with another guy was for him so unbearable. "And what do you do on a girls night?".

\- "Well, I'm not sure but I think chatting, laughing, talking about boys …". Amy smiled widely. "It's going to be great, Penny is very funny and Ber-".

\- "Wait, Penny!". Leonard interrupted her, grabbing her arms and looking at her with wide open eyes. "You mean, Penny the golden haired and beautiful cheerleader?".

\- "Yes, the same". Amy said with a laugh. "But I have to tell you that you have nothing to do, there's a boy deeply in love with her and he is a real gallant, she is over the moon with him". She said, freeing herself from Leonard's arms. "And now, if you excuse me, I need to go. Good night, Leonard, Sheldon". She said, walking away with a bright smile.

\- "Did you hear her? Oh, my!". Leonard started jumping around Sheldon who was standing like a stone in front of him, looking in the direction where Amy had just left.

\- "Yes I heard her, they're going to talk about boys". Sheldon muttered, still without moving a muscle.

\- "Not that, I mean about Penny". Leonard said exasperated. "Anyway, it doesn't matter if they talk about boys, women always do that, it's nothing new. Besides, why do you even care?".

\- "Well, it's not that I care for her, but Amy only knows you and me, so she'll talk about us, and consequently about our secret".

\- "I do not think so, she would never tell any of this to anyone, besides, we are not the only boys she know, there are plenty of them in her biology team". Leonard started to walked slowly around the pier, still with a huge smile on his face. "Sheldon, you told me days ago that you don't want anything with her, why this jealousy?".

\- "Jealousy?. I'm not jealous, just worried that some of this will come to light, dont be ridiculous, Leonard". Sheldon pointed as he started to walk.

\- "Yes, of course, well, if you do not care, then let's talk about how the emerald-eyed blonde goddess is crazy about me!". Leonard said laughing, as they both walked back towards the camp. Sheldon rolled his eyes as his friend began to start again his tale about how he had left every night a flower on her desk, and how wonderful she is.

* * *

\- "So, Penny, tell me more about you". Bernadette asked, taking a sip of her margarita which Penny had sneak in the camp a few nights ago. The cheerleaders cabin was full of illegalities for the camp, and most of them were very tempting for two girls as Amy and Bernadette.

The three girls had slipped into the gym that night, where they were laying on some blankets, laughing and gossiping for a while. Amy has the biggest smile on her face, this was beyond what she ever had dreamed of about the camp.

\- "Ok, I'm from Nebraska, a small town, Omaha, good enough to grow up though a bit boring. I'm a vegetarian, except for fish, and occasional steak. I love steak!" Penny said with a bright smile. "Is my third time in a row here in the camp as cheerleader, but I need to confess I'm enjoying this year more than the others".

\- "And why so?". Bernadette asked with curiosity.

\- "Well, normally I don't usually get along well with the girls that come to the camp, they are not very open like you two, and well … you should see the other cheerleaders, they are not very friendly to say something".

\- "Well, also your secret admirer will have something to do with that, dont you think?". Amy giggle, sipping a little of her margarita.

\- "Uhhh, a secret admirer? I want to know more about that". Bernadette said with a giggle, as Amy and her go into a huddle, waiting for Penny to start telling the story.

\- "Oh, yes, it's very sweet, since a whole week he's leaving a magnolia, which is my favorite flower, on my office desk at night. Every morning when I get to the cheerleader headquarters the flower lay there with a little post on it, with a smiling face". Penny sighed. "And I think I know who is that mystery boy". She said, biting her lower lip.

\- "You do? Tell us, tell us!". Amy said excitedly, her girls night couldnt go better, she was enjoying every second of it, and it was only the first one.

\- "Yes, I'm pretty sure is my ex boyfriend, Kurt. The other cheerleaders were gossiping the other day about that they have seen his motorcycle around. Last summer we were going out during the camp, but he dump me when I had to go back to Nebraska. I know you think it's cruel, but he's from here, and a distant relationship is not easy, maybe he wants to make amends, and he is so cute!". She sighned, drinking a long sip of her cocktail.

Amy and Bernadette looking at each other, they didnt know the situation enough to give their opinion, yet, but it was clear that Penny didn't see it clearly. Just about when they were going to talk, the gym door opened and one of the guys came in.

\- "Well, well, what do we have hewe". He said with a grin smile. "The thwee most beautiful giwls in the camp". A skinny boy with white skin walked towards them. Amy recognized him from Sheldon and Leonard's team.

\- "What do you want, Kripke? We are busy here". Penny rolled her eyes, she was used to smartasses around her every summer, but this one in particular was the most persistent.

\- "Welax, Penny, today I don't come fow you, hewe is a blossing flowew much mowe to my liking". Kripke crouched down where Amy was, leaning his hand to reached for hers. "Wow wow, giwl, I think we havent intwoduced us yet, I'm Bawy".

\- "Mmmm.. hello". She signed, a little confused. "I'm Amy".

\- "I know that alweady". He giggle. "Coopew talked about you the fiwst day after youw incident". Kripke said, tapping his fingers with quotation marks on the last word.

\- "Alright". She frowned. "And what do you want?".

\- "I was thinking about inviting you, to go out with me one of these nights, someone told me is a baw a few miles nowth. We can dwink and dance, ow what comes up. What do you think, dawling?".

\- "I'm sorry, but I'm busy, and I don't think I can". Amy said, moving a few inches closer to Bernadette who fixed her eyes on him.

\- "Too bad, it seems that Coopew is the only one lucky awound hewe, if you get bowed of him, you know whewe I am". He said, winking as he walked away, closing the door behind him.

\- "What was he talking about?". Penny asked confused as Bernadette looked at her with wide eyes. "Are you and Sheldon dating or something?".

\- "Not at all. We haven't barely speak since what happened that day". Amy sighned. "I have no idea what he meant with that". Amy lied, taking a good sip of her cocktail and avoiding any reference to the subject for the rest of the now, ruined night.

* * *

Sheldon was playing chess with Leonard, that night, both sat on the little table close to the bunk beds. In the bedroom the rest of the boys had escaped to go to a nearby bar and the silence, occasionally broken by Leonard sighing, enveloped the warm cabin. Suddenly, Barry entered the room, heading to his revolted and undone bed.

\- "Coopew, Hofstadtew. Wild night?". He joked, picking up a towel wich he threw over his shoulder and his pajamas from the bed.

\- "We're fine, some of us don't need alcohol to have fun". Sheldon said, raising his eyebrow at him.

\- "Youw little giwlfwiend doesn't think the same". Kripke laughed, as he took the rest of the things for his nightly shower.

\- "What are you talking about, Kripke?". Sheldon stand up, staring at him.

\- "Wild woman that Amy, fuu, she is all fiwe!". He said, winking, just trying to enrage Sheldon, successfully. "Now I need a shower". He smelled his own armpit. "Bye losews". Kripke ended, closing the door with him.

Sheldon turned his head to Leonard who looked at him in amazement. "She lied to me". Sheldon murmured, feeling a pain in his chest that he couldnt understand.

\- "Well, buddy, I'm sure she has her reasons". Leonard placed his arm on his shoulder to comfort him. "Is not like she is your girlfriend or anything".

\- "I know, but Kripke?". Sheldon muttered. "There was nobody worse?". He turned to his bed, getting into it. "She worth much more than that".

\- "Sorry buddy". Leonard whispered, starting to collect the pieces. The night was over for his friend and they went directly to bed. Sheldon closed his eyes trying to sleep. Turning off the light, Leonard walked out of the room. He still had to pick the flower for his precious Penny that night.

Walking silently through the camp, he saw the boys begin to sneak back from their wild night. Some smelled like cheap beer and tobacco, and Leonard frowned at the smell. In the distance he could hear Penny's voice laughing. Hiding behind a tree, he glimpse three girls giggling and whispering, visibly drunk.

Penny and another blonde girl, much more shorter, tried to help Amy walking up the cabin steps while they giggled and muttered. Seeing the problems they were having, Leonard approached to them, placing Amy's arm on his shoulder and raising her while the other girls stared at him.

Leonard bring her inside the bedroom, placing her on her bed while she was muttering things without meaning and giggling. "Now sleep, Amy, tomorrow you will not feel pretty good".

\- "Sheldon?". Amy said between grunts.

\- "No, it's me, Leonard". He whispered. "And you shouldn't talk about him, remember?. It's a secret". Leonard put his finger over his mouth.

\- "Shhhh". She giggled. "Sheldon is going to be furious with Amy if he finds her drunk, don't say anything". She whispered to him with her eyes half closed.

\- "Yes, Leonard will not say anything". He continued, removing her shoes and putting the blanket over her legs. "Sheldon is upset tonight, he had heard things about Kripke that he didn't like it".

\- "Ugg … Amy didn't like Kripke, Amy likes Sheldon, but is a secret, shhh". Amy whispered. "Sheldon doesn't want to ask Amy out". She yawned, turning her body on one side and cuddling on herself, closing her eyes.

\- "Sheldon is just silly, now sleep, Ames". Leonard caressed her cheek smiling, making her moan softly as she fall asleep. Slowly, he took off her glasses and walked quietly out of the room, meeting Penny and Bernadette who were sitting on the steps of the cabin and got up when they saw him.

\- "I will check Ames". Bernadette quickly said, walking up the stairs.

\- "Wow, you're a knight in shining armor". Penny said smiling, as she approached to him moving her hips, still a little tipsy.

\- "You still have a lot to discover about me, miss". Leonard said winking, walking away from her with firm step.

He didn't know from where he had gotten the courage to say that, but now his cheeks began to burn in his face as a fire. Turning his head a little, he could glimpse Penny still staring at him, with her hands on hips and her eternal smile, while her big green orbs lit up in the dark night.

That night Leonard left the most beautiful flower that he could find on the tree on her door with a note that said, "Oh! Princess, my princess. I will sing, I will jump, I will dance, until the impossible I will do to see you smile again".

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Many thanks to all, you are amazing with your reviews and nice words, you make me very happy! I hope you understand the conversation with Kripke, it is difficult to write and at the same time very funny. See you soon in the camp!**

 **As always, a big thanks to my bestie Linda, she is the best beta ever! Pretzel!**


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